In prior art, a convertible is known which comprises a folding hard top with a top mechanism pivotally connected to the vehicle body. By means of the top mechanism, the hard top can be moved between a position in which it covers the passenger compartment, hereinafter called the first position, and a position in which the top has been folded down into a boot behind the passenger compartment, hereinafter called the second position. The hard top comprises substantially rigid top panels connected to the top mechanism, which cover the passenger compartment when the top is in the raised first position. These top panels comprise a forward top panel, whose front edge is set against the windscreen frame when the top is in its first position. The top panels further comprise a rearward top panel provided with a rear window and placed rearward of the forward top panel, the rear edge of the forward top panel being hinged on the front edge of the rearward top panel so as to allow the forward top panel to turn about a horizontal first hinge axis.
A problem with this type of prior-art convertibles provided with a folding hard top is that, when the top is in its second position lowered into the boot, there is hardly any space left over for luggage at all because the top takes up the whole space. This problem is not encountered in convertibles provided with a folding hard top and having only front seats and in which the passenger space behind the front seats is used as a stowage for the hard top. However, when the passenger compartment contains both front seats and a back seat as in four-seat convertibles and the back seat is to be usable even when the top is in the open position, then it is necessary to provide a stowage for the lowered top in the conventional luggage compartment, which means that there is actually no luggage space left over. From a prior-art convertible, a solution is known in which a low space is provided below the top lowered into a boot, between the hard top and the bottom of the boot, in which space it is possible to load luggage by pushing the luggage horizontally into said space. However, this solution does not permit normal loading of luggage from above.